"I’m too busy with the house right now to think about that. Please stop teasing me about it," Ji Dong said helplessly. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦
More importantly, he felt that he didn’t have any abilities, so why should a girl follow him? He never dreamed of marrying a wife or anything like that in these years.
Ji Xinhe waved his hand: "Alright, we won’t talk about it."
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he asked, "Didn’t you say a while ago that you wanted to send a return gift to Xiao Cui? Did you do it?"
Ji Dong scratched his head: "When I went to town to buy bricks and tiles, I passed by a small jewelry stand. I thought girls liked dressing up, so I bought a box of rouge."
Ji Xinhe’s eyes lit up, her brother’s head wasn’t completely blockheaded! He even knew to send rouge.
Ji Xinhe smiled and served Ji Dong a chopstick-full of vegetables: "Big brother is so thoughtful."
Ji Dong was stunned, for some reason, what he thought was normal suddenly seemed different when it came to his sister?
"By the way, you mentioned sending Xiao Bei to school after the Chinese New Year. I’ve also been thinking about it, and I inquired about the academies in the town. There are only three, but Shangde Academy seems not bad. The headmaster is even a scholar, and the Academy has a good reputation. So, I thought it would be best to send Xiao Bei there after the New Year," Ji Xinhe said with a smile.
Ji Dong frowned: "Shangde Academy? This academy has a small reputation, and many people enroll there every year. To get into the academy, one needs to pass an entrance exam in advance."
"No worries, our Xiao Bei is not bad either," Ji Xinhe said with a smile.
"It’s not that Xiao Bei isn’t as good as others, but those who go to academies usually have well-off families. Many people start studying at home with a teacher when they’re three or four years old. Xiao Bei is now nine, and he’s a bit late to start studying compared to others. Moreover, he hasn’t read many books before, so I’m afraid he can’t compete with those kids," Ji Dong said.
Xiao Bei clenched his small fists: "Xiao Bei wants to try!"
Ji Xinhe laughed and patted Xiao Bei’s little head: "Since Xiao Bei wants to try, let’s give it a try. After the Chinese New Year, when the academy begins enrollment, we still have one month to continue working hard, don’t we?"
Xiao Bei has been learning to read with Mu Houchu these days. He is very smart and very diligent. On weekdays at the shop, he always takes advantage of his free time to write big characters. In just over a month, he has already mastered the Thousand-Character Classic.
Xiao Bei nodded excitedly: "I’ll work hard!"
"What do you think?" Ji Xinhe looked at Mu Houchu, as he was now Xiao Bei’s pre-school teacher, and naturally knew his situation better than anyone else.
"There shouldn’t be much of a problem."
Ji Xinhe was overjoyed: "Really?"
Mu Houchu pulled up the corners of his lips: "After all, it’s my teaching."
Ji Xinhe glared at him lightly: "Where did you get such a big face?"
Ji Dong laughed out loud: "Today is Chinese New Year, let’s enjoy a good meal first!"
After dinner, Gou Dan and a few others came to call Xiao Bei out to play. Hong Qin and Zheng Xiaocui also came to visit and chat with Xin He.
By night, the whole family sat up, set off firecrackers, and the entire village was bustling. Even the restless Ji Dashan family was unusually quiet for once.
Xiao Bei, being young, couldn’t stay up and fell asleep in Ji Xinhe’s arms. Ji Dong was also sent by Ji Xinhe to take Zheng Xiaocui home. Every time Zheng Xiaocui came to their house, Ji Xinhe would always keep her until it got dark and then take the opportunity to let Ji Dong escort her back.
It was also a way to create opportunities for the two to get along. She had already helped so much; if her big brother was still blockheaded, there would be nothing she could do.
Ji Xinhe stroked Xiao Bei’s hair and gently placed him on the bed. She tiptoed out, blowing out the candle and closing the door.
Mu Houchu sat on a high pile of firewood in the courtyard. Seeing Ji Xinhe come out, he stretched out his hand: "Come up."
Ji Xinhe hummed lightly but reached up and grabbed his wide palm. Using his strength, she jumped up nimbly.
Mu Houchu raised an eyebrow: "It seems that your body has recovered a lot these days, and your skills have improved quite a bit."
Ji Xinhe raised her head with a bit of pride: "Of course."
Mu Houchu laughed: "I just discovered that the starry sky at night is also beautiful."
Only then did Ji Xinhe look up at the sky. Due to winter, there were some dark clouds, so there weren’t many stars, but he said they were beautiful.
"You’ve never seen the stars before, have you?"
"Yeah, I’ve never seen them."
He had lived for twenty-four years and had never had the leisure to look up at the sky for even a moment.
Mu Houchu’s tone was light, but it seemed to carry a faint trace of sorrow.
At this moment, Ji Xinhe felt a sudden surge of sympathy for him in her heart. She pursed her lips and asked, "Were you unhappy before?"
"I never really felt that it was that bad, after all, some things have their prices."
It’s just that his price was heavier.
Mu Houchu suddenly turned to look at her: "Xin He, I know you’ve been hesitant about marrying me because you’re not at ease."
Ji Xinhe pursed her lips and did not deny: "Mu Chu, sometimes I feel like I know you very well, I can guess your feelings and thoughts just by looking at your appearance, but sometimes I feel like I don’t know you at all. I don’t know about your parents, your background, your friends, and I don’t know how to feel at ease."
It seemed to be the first time the two were truly honest with each other.
Mu Houchu squeezed Ji Xinhe’s hand tighter, a bitter smile appeared at the corner of his lips: "Actually, you already know me the best. There has never been anyone in the world who knows me better than you."
He had never shown his true nature to anyone other than her, and she was the only one who understood him in this world.
"As for my parents, I’ve been an orphan since I was a child. No matter where I go, I’m alone. I want to marry you, and it has nothing to do with anyone else, you understand?" Mu Houchu looked at Ji Xinhe steadily.
Ji Xinhe was silent for a moment before breaking into a small smile: "I understand."
"Xin He, perhaps you don’t believe me, but I haven’t been sincere with anyone in my life, nor have I been treated sincerely. It seems that I was born to go to hell, and you can never understand what you mean to me." Mu Houchu hugged her tightly, rubbing his chin against her hair, and whispered.
Ji Xinhe snuggled in his arms, her heart suddenly becoming extraordinarily peaceful. With no uneasiness or worries, she had only one thought - to stay in his arms until she was old and dying.
"Xin He, will you marry me?"
Ji Xinhe brought a shallow smile to her lips: "Yes."
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