Chapter 32 The Farmer and the Snake
When Su Wanwan called him a child, Pei Qian almost didn't react. It was not until Su Wanwan waved again that he walked over.
"Mrs. Scholar, you called me?"
Su Wanwan glanced around and asked, "Are you waiting for someone?"
"No." Pei Qian shook his head.
"Then what are you doing standing here?" Su Wanwan was curious, "It's almost time for lunch, aren't you going home?"
"I..." Pei Qian hesitated.
When they got closer, Su Wanwan could see clearly that Pei Qian's clothes were all tattered, and the stitching was very simple. They didn't look like they were sewn by an adult, but rather like he had copied someone else's clothes himself. Even one side of the sleeve was crooked.
Remembering that Pei Qian was adopted, Su Wanwan asked patiently, "Will your grandfather come to pick you up or will you go back by yourself?"
Pei Qian still didn't speak.
"Forget it, come in." Su Wanwan stood up, "If your grandfather doesn't come to pick you up, then you can eat at my house."
After she finished speaking, she went into the yard. Pei Qian stood at the door for a long time before he carefully put his head in.
Su Wanwan was picking vegetables, and Pei Changfeng was sorting out the money he received this morning and some vegetables sent by the villagers. When he saw Pei Qian coming in, he just glanced at him and went back to his own business.
It was a good thing for Pei Qian that no one was paying attention to him. He looked at everything in the yard curiously.
Pei Xiucai's yard was very different from his own. There was no stench of chicken shit, nor were there the torn fishing nets that his grandfather had picked up, the stool with two legs missing, or the bucket that had been repaired many times.
Pei Qian saw that there was a dog in Pei Xiucai's yard, and even the bowl the dog ate from was intact without a single piece missing...
Su Wanwan was cooking in the kitchen, but she was actually keeping an eye on the child. She and Pei Changfeng usually ate simple meals, and chicken soup was a must, and one or two dishes would be enough. Today she also fried some green vegetables.
When the dishes were served, Pei Qian didn't dare to look at the table. It was not until Su Wanwan called him to serve the rice that he walked over with courage, "Master, Master's wife, I'm not hungry, I don't need to eat."
As soon as he finished speaking, his stomach growled twice.
Su Wanwan smiled, "Master's wife? This title is really novel. You already call me Master's wife. It would be unreasonable for me not to invite you to have a meal. Just eat with confidence. If you don't eat enough, I will blame you."
Pei Qian took the bowl of white rice with trembling hands, his heart, liver and lungs were trembling. Only during the Chinese New Year would his grandfather and he eat white rice. Usually they ate gray flour steamed buns and vegetable porridge.
Looking at the big pot of rice in the pot, Pei Qian became even more determined to study hard and learn to read. He also wanted to be a teacher and accept students in the future so that he could eat white rice every day.
There were three people and a dog at home eating, each sitting on one side. Su Wanwan saw Pei Qian was just eating his food, so she picked up a chicken wing for him and said, "Don't choke."
Pei Qian looked up at Pei Changfeng's expression. Seeing that he was not looking at him, he started eating with peace of mind.
After dinner, Pei Qian offered to help Su Wanwan with some work. Su Wanwan looked around and said, "Then go and sweep the chicken coop."
"good!"
Pei Qian often did this kind of work when he was at home, so he was very skilled at it. In a short while, he swept the chicken coop clean and picked out the eggs in the nest.
Su Wanwan was cutting the edge of another blue dress for Pei Changfeng in the room. Seeing this, she couldn't help but say, "This child is quite smart."
She was sewing while looking outside. Pei Changfeng was worried that she would prick her hand. "Don't look. Just sew the clothes first."
"Hey husband, have you seen this child before?"
"No," Pei Changfeng shook his head, "I don't come back to the village often."
"So you live in the academy?"
"The academy is closed once every two weeks, and no one is home. I only come back to visit my uncle's family during festivals, and I live in the academy the rest of the time."
Su Wanwan felt distressed for a moment, "I haven't asked you yet, when did your parents-in-law pass away? How old were you at that time?"
Pei Changfeng put down the book, as if recalling something very distant, "Probably... about ten years ago."
"Ten years ago, wouldn't you have been only ten years old?" Su Wanwan opened her eyes wide. "I was eight when my mother passed away, but my father was still alive. Your parents are gone, so how did you survive and still be able to study?"
"My parents left me some money when they passed away," Pei Changfeng smiled bitterly, "I used the money to pay my tuition, and from then on I lived in the academy. The teacher in the academy felt sorry for me, and occasionally let me have lunch with him at noon. He also helped me a lot in my life, and that's how it has been until today."
Thinking that Pei Changfeng lost both his parents at such a young age, Su Wanwan lost her mind for a moment and accidentally pricked her finger with the needle. After a brief pain, blood oozed out.
"Don't move, let me see." Pei Changfeng grabbed her hand and wiped it with a handkerchief, "I'll go get the medicine."
While he was applying the medicine, Su Wanwan couldn't help but said, "Husband, if only I had met you earlier, I would definitely support you. Although I have no money, my father can support you, so you don't have to suffer."
Her words were so innocent that Pei Changfeng couldn't help but chuckle.
"I'm serious," Su Wanwan repeated, "If I find you, I will definitely raise you!"
Pei Changfeng bandaged her hand and said, "Okay, stop sewing clothes and go out and sit down for a while."
"I just finished my meal. How long have I been making clothes?" Su Wanwan smiled. "My husband, you are so good to me. What if I don't want to do any work in the future?"
"Then I'll do it. No one stipulates that you have to do anything." Pei Changfeng picked up the book again, but the smile on his face did not change. "You just need to rest."
"You are the kind of person who always says these things to please me." Su Wanwan bit off the thread and turned to look at Pei Qian. She saw that Pei Qian had almost finished tying up the bundle of grass that Su Wanwan had thrown on the ground.
"Look at this kid, he's really hardworking."
"Children of poor families have to grow up early," Pei Changfeng said in a light voice, "Don't invite him to dinner in the future."
"What's wrong?" Su Wanwan asked puzzledly.
Pei Changfeng told her what happened in the academy before, "Besides me, there was another student in the academy whose parents had both passed away. There was a kind-hearted teacher who often helped us. Later, cheating occurred in the academy, and the kind-hearted teacher was reported. The reporter accurately stated where the bribe money and the stolen test papers were hidden. The teacher was fired and returned home soon after."
Su Wanwan frowned and thought for a long time, "You mean... the kind-hearted teacher was framed?"
"Who knows?" Pei Changfeng turned a page of the book, "Maybe, maybe not."
"Yes, no matter what, the kind-hearted master has helped him for so long, this is a favor, I understand what the husband means."
"Wanwan," Pei Changfeng said again, "It's not wrong to be kind, but kindness should be given to those who deserve it, not blindly."
Su Wanwan looked out the window, and Pei Qian secretly put an egg into his pocket.
She sighed, "Yes, I remember."
Pei Changfeng's private school will start teaching the day after tomorrow. Before that, Su Wanwan has to go to the carpenter to get the tables they ordered. They ordered four tables, which is just right for two children to sit at one table.
Pei Tieniu accompanied her. He was strong and could carry two sheets. The other person was the eldest son of the village chief. Su Wanwan followed Pei Changfeng and called him Brother Gongcheng.
Because Pei Gongcheng's two sons went to study with Pei Changfeng, Pei Gongcheng was in a very good mood and insisted on sending something to Pei Changfeng when the private school opened the day after tomorrow.
"I don't think it's appropriate to give anything else as a gift, so why not give me some red dates? I wish you and Changfeng a son soon!"
Su Wanwan forced a smile, "Thank you, Brother Gongcheng."
Pei Tieniu didn't understand, "What does this have to do with having a baby early?"
Pei Gongcheng pinched Pei Tieniu and said, "You will understand after you get married."
Su Wanwan paid the money, and Pei Tieniu and Pei Gongcheng moved the stools and tables onto the cart. There were still three stools left that could not be placed, so Pei Tieniu took two, Su Wanwan took one, and Pei Gongcheng pushed the cart.
The carpenter laughed, "We finally have a school here. What? You said it only costs three cents a month? This is much cheaper than that of Mr. Fu. When will you recruit students? I will send my grandson over there too."
"Carpenter Cai, don't just go for it because it's cheap. Who knows if it's really a good deal?"
The person who spoke was Liang Caidie's sister-in-law, Li. The scratches on her face hadn't healed yet. When she saw Su Wanwan looking at her, she glared back in dissatisfaction, "What are you looking at?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
