Chapter 024 It’s hard to change your frivolous nature
Shen Ning had renovated the house before, and the extra room was brand new and tidy, with beds and wardrobes.
After Shen Qingbai settled in, Shen Ning specially asked someone to bring new clothes and bedding back from the county town for him to use, and she also started to take care of Shen Qingbai's health.
He had a weak constitution, but not any illness. Shen Ning prepared a medicinal bath and acupuncture for him based on his pulse, and also prescribed a prescription for conditioning and warming.
At first, Xiao Nanchen expressed great joy about having a new member in the family, but soon this joy disappeared without a trace.
In the past, when Shen Ning made delicious food, the first one to eat was him, but now there is one more person.
Originally, the hens in the chicken coop that didn't lay eggs well would occasionally lay an egg, which was also for him, but now, if there is only one egg, it must be Shen Qingbai's.
In fact, there was no shortage of food at home, but sometimes there was no time to buy food. Occasionally, when there was only one egg, Shen Ning was thinking about Shen Qingbai's poor physique, so she gave priority to Shen Qingbai. However, she did not expect that two days later, the little fool came to her to negotiate sternly.
"Sister-in-law, let him go."
Shen Ning laughed: "He is my brother, it is only natural for him to live here, why should he leave?"
The little fool said with a sullen face, as if he had given up everything: "I will be your brother from now on. Let him go."
Shen Ning was immediately amused: "You are my younger brother."
Xiao Nanchen was very dissatisfied: "Why do you need two younger brothers?"
Shen Ning held her forehead helplessly. Before she could think of what to say, she heard Xiao Nanchen's words bluntly: "Between me and him, which brother do you want?"
Shen Ning: "No one stipulates that you can only have one younger brother."
Xiao Nanchen was very persistent: "You can only have one!"
Shen Ning finally gave up communicating with the little fool and hurried away on the pretext of having something to do.
As soon as Shen Ning left, Xiao Nanchen regained consciousness. When he thought about how he had volunteered to be someone's younger brother a moment ago and forced Shen Ning to choose between him and Shen Qingbai, His Royal Highness Prince Ding's face was full of black lines.
I’m afraid I can’t stay here any longer, otherwise, how will I face it when I recover?
The sound of water and voices came from the yard. Xiao Nanchen walked out with a wooden face. As soon as he reached the yard, he saw Shen Qingbai sitting in the dark medicine juice in the bathtub in the "bathroom" that Shen Ning had renovated.
His upper body was naked and exposed to the water, and Shen Ning was giving him an acupuncture on his back...
Xiao Nanchen's brows suddenly furrowed.
She still doesn't know how to avoid suspicion. Shen Qingbai is only one year younger than her, and they are not even siblings... Doesn't this woman know what it means that men and women should keep physical contact?
Shen Ning didn't know that there was anything wrong with giving Shen Qingbai acupuncture with the door open. After all, she had left the door wide open to avoid suspicion.
We can't let her give acupuncture to the blind with her eyes blindfolded.
Fortunately, after a month of medicated baths, acupuncture, prescriptions and dietary supplements, Shen Qingbai's condition had improved significantly.
Chen Ning also stopped the medicinal bath and acupuncture, and continued to treat him with warm and nourishing decoctions.
In addition, she also planned to send Shen Qingbai back to school.
Shen Qingbai has been studious since childhood. Even though he has an unreliable gambler father like Shen Danian, he remains determined. Last year, he even passed the examination and became a scholar at the age of sixteen.
After passing the examination for a scholar, he could have gone to the county school to study. However, firstly, he failed to pass the examination for a government stipend student and had to pay for his own food and accommodation. Secondly, he almost lost his life while trying to hold on during the college entrance examination, and his body was really unable to support the imperial examination. So, the young man gave up the opportunity to continue his studies.
But now it's different.
Shen Ning had treated him much better, and she believed that he would get better and better if she continued to treat him, and money was not a problem.
The most important thing is that when Shen Ning asked Shen Qingbai what he meant, the boy's eyes lit up when he heard that he could continue studying.
Although he immediately refused again, saying that he didn't want to study anymore, Shen Ning could see that he didn't want to add burden to his sister.
Shen Ning told him directly that he didn't need to worry about the money, she had ways to make money, and more importantly, they had deeply experienced the powerlessness of ordinary people when facing the powerful.
The wife of a small county magistrate could easily cause them to almost lose their lives, and who knows what will happen in the future.
Shen Ning said to the boy in a gentle voice: "Sister has selfish motives for letting you continue studying. I hope that you can support me after you graduate from high school. I don't want to be trampled on and beaten by others anymore."
After hearing this, Shen Qingbai finally stopped refusing. In the end, he bowed deeply to Shen Ning and said seriously, "Qingbai will work hard and will never let my sister down."
Shen Qingbai was already a scholar, and with the recommendation of his teacher Chen Zhili, he quickly completed all the formalities and went to the county school to study.
The county school had both accommodation and a cafeteria, but Shen Qingbai was only considered an additional student and not a stipend student, so he had to bear most of the expenses himself. Shen Ning generously gave him ten taels of silver in change, which frightened the young man so much that he asked her where the money came from.
Shen Ning used the toilet tank blueprint as an excuse to reassure him.
On the day of school enrollment, she took Shen Qingbai and Xiao Nanchen out and took a ox cart to the county town.
Knowing that Shen Qingbai would be living in the county school from now on, Xiao Nanchen was in a very good mood. In the car, he kept saying to Shen Qingbai: "Don't come back unless you have nothing to do."
Shen Ning was amused and speechless. Shen Qingbai did not bother with the mentally retarded Xiao Nanchen, and even reminded him: "Anan, you must protect your sister at home."
Xiao Nanchen was dissatisfied: "Call me brother."
Shen Qingbai laughed and said, "Then Brother Anan must protect me well at home."
Xiao Nanchen was finally satisfied this time, raising his arm and clenching his fist: "Anan is amazing."
Arriving at the county town, Shen Ning took the two of them to buy things, mainly bedding, study tools, and daily necessities that Shen Qingbai would need at the county school.
She originally wanted to make him two new sets of clothes, but Shen Qingbai refused to accept them: "Sister, the clothes I'm wearing were bought by you not long ago."
Chen Ning explained: "Studying in the county school is no different from studying anywhere else. Clothes make the man."
The young man smiled and shook his head: "I'm going to study."
Shen Ning didn't force it, bought some snacks, and then hired a carriage to take her to the county school.
The formalities had been completed and everything went smoothly. When they went in, Xiao Nanchen and Shen Qingbai held all the things and didn't let her take anything.
Looking at Shen Qingbai's steady steps, Shen Ning felt a sense of accomplishment and reminded him: "The medicine has been bought. When the time comes, you can give some money to the canteen staff to boil the medicine. You don't have to bother yourself."
Shen Qingbai nodded: "I know, sister, don't worry."
Just then, two people suddenly walked out from the corner of the corridor in front. Shen Qingbai was walking in front and almost bumped into them, so he quickly stopped.
"Hey, where did this peasant come from? The county school is a place where you can walk around as you please."
The young man who spoke was wearing a brand new satin gown. He looked up and down at Shen Qingbai's coarse cloth shirt, then looked at Shen Ning and Xiao Nanchen who were dressed simply, his eyes full of contempt.
"Xuguang, this is our new fellow disciple, Shen Qingbai. We are from the same hometown."
The person next to that person happened to be Pei Yuanzhou. When he saw Shen Ning and the other two, Pei Yuanzhou introduced them with an indifferent expression.
The man Pei Yuanzhou called Xuguang was Duan Xuguang, a student at the county school. He came from a wealthy merchant family and was known for his arrogance. Upon hearing Pei Yuanzhou's words, he smirked and said, "Fellow student! I thought you were just a beggar from somewhere."
"Let's go."
Duan Xuguang dragged Pei Yuanzhou straight forward, saying bluntly as he walked: "What fellow countrymen? How can those peasants be compared with Brother Pei!"
Pei Yuanzhou was the top scorer in the academy examination, and now he is engaged to Miss Li. I heard that Miss Li Yushi's father has already entered the Hanlin Academy. In the future, someone like Pei Yuanzhou, who is talented and well-connected, will naturally have a bright future.
Therefore, even though Pei Yuanzhou is currently poor, Duan Xuguang is very attentive to him.
Being called a "mud leg" one after another, Shen Qingbai's expression remained unchanged.
In the past, studying was more difficult than it is now, and he had heard even more unpleasant words. For him, having the opportunity to go to school was already a rare opportunity, so how could he engage in a quarrel with others?
However, Shen Qingbai could endure it, but Shen Ning didn't want to.
How can it be justified for someone to scold me for no reason while I was walking peacefully?
Seeing Shen Qingbai's thin eyelids drooping and his gentle and silent appearance, Shen Ning raised her voice to comfort him: "Qingbai, don't pay attention to other people's gossip. We country people are just mud legs, but being mud legs is better than being a lackey, don't you think?"
Duan Xuguang, who had just taken a few steps, suddenly stopped, turned around and asked, "Who are you calling a lackey?"
Chen Ning looked at him and smiled: "Of course I'm talking about lackeys. Whoever is a lackey here is the one I'm talking about."
Duan Xuguang's face flushed with anger, and he took two steps forward: "You vulgar country woman, try to say one more nonsense."
Xiao Nanchen and Shen Qingbai stepped forward together to block Shen Ning, but were both stopped by Shen Ning.
She screamed at Duan Xuguang, "I dare not, I dare not, I will never do that again. After all, you look like you are good at beating women."
Duan Xuguang was so angry that his face turned red but he couldn't speak. Pei Yuanzhou said calmly: "Xuguang, we still have things to do."
Duan Xuguang snorted, "I'm busy today and don't have time to bother with you guys. You're lucky."
After saying that, he rolled his eyes fiercely at Chen Ning and the other two, then turned around and left with Pei Yuanzhou.
Shen Ning curled her lips and said to Shen Qingbai, "We don't cause trouble, but when we encounter someone who loves to stir up trouble, we can't always think about keeping things quiet. Some people are just mean. If you don't want to argue with them, they will think you are afraid of them and want to provoke you even more."
Shen Qingbai hummed softly, thinking of how his sister had just said two words to make Duan Xuguang speechless, a faint smile appeared on the corner of his lips: "Qingbai learned the lesson."
Shen Ning waved her hand: "Let's go."
Turning around the corridor, the neatly arranged row of rooms in front is the dormitory. There are six people in a room, which is similar to the bunk beds in Shen Ning's university dormitory in her previous life. The only difference is that these bunk beds are separated into two small spaces by walls, which is more private.
It was not class time. There were four people in the dormitory. When they saw someone coming in, they stood up and greeted him with a smile: "It must be the new Mr. Shen."
Shen Qingbai saluted quickly: "I dare not, Shen Qingbai greets all my classmates."
The four of them were very friendly and polite. After introducing themselves, one of them said, "Our roommate, Duan Xuguang, is not here right now."
Only then did Shen Qingbai realize that Duan Xuguang was actually his roommate.
After all, it was a men's dormitory, so Shen Ning did not stay. After briefly greeting those people, she gave Shen Qingbai some instructions and then left with Xiao Nanchen.
When Xiao Nanchen walked out, he walked very quickly because he was still thinking about Shen Ning's promise to take him to Jufulou to eat roast duck after going out.
It’s great that Shen Qingbai can’t eat greasy food.
Xiao Nanchen walked very fast, rushing out all the way, and Shen Ning also quickened his pace.
Although the little fool definitely won't run around at this moment, it's still better to keep an eye on him... Just then, some strange noises suddenly came from not far away.
It's just over there on the rockery not far away.
Shen Ning frowned slightly. It sounded like a male voice?
She didn't want to meddle in other people's business, but when she thought about Shen Qingbai staying in this place, what if something happened...
After a pause, she walked cautiously towards the rockery.
The rockery faced a pond. Chen Ning was at the back of the rockery, but there was a small gap in the rocks, so she couldn't see anything from a distance. When Chen Ning got closer, she was suddenly stunned.
She saw two men in the dimly lit rockery, and the sound she heard just now was from one of them.
Shen Ning suddenly felt a chill in her heart. At this moment, she stepped on a dead branch with a snap.
"Anyone?"
A seductive male voice panted and moaned.
Shen Ning turned around and walked quickly around the corridor, and met Xiao Nanchen, who had turned back to look for her. When he saw her, he was about to shout... Just as he opened his mouth, he was caught off guard by Shen Ning who covered his mouth and pushed him into the corner next to him.
At this moment, Xiao Nanchen's eyes suddenly became clear.
The first moment he noticed the slender body pressed against him...
"Shh, don't make any noise, dear."
Shen Ning said quickly.
When she noticed that her palms were greasy, she remembered that this guy was eating before getting off the carriage.
Xiao Nanchen didn't move, so Shen Ning let him go, rubbed the greasy palms on him, and then carefully pricked up her ears to listen to the noise behind her.
Fortunately, there was no sound of pursuit.
Yes, the posture of those two people just now was probably too shameful to be seen by others for a while.
Shen Ning got goosebumps when she thought of the scene she had just seen. She didn't notice Xiao Nanchen who was pressed against the wall by her, and naturally didn't see his tense jaw and body.
Xiao Nanchen lowered his eyes and looked at the hand that was pressing against his chest and rubbing it, his face tense and dark...
She had been restrained during this period, but suddenly she acted like this, and even the people in the county school couldn't contain themselves... He had thought that she had really changed for the better!
It's really hard to change my frivolous nature...
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