Chapter 6 Skipping School
"I'm your mother! You think you're right to skip school!" Song Yushu was furious. She stepped forward, grabbed Zhou Chengyu's ear, and dragged her into the alley.
"Ah! What are you doing? You're still on the street!" Zhou Chengli was at an age where he cared a lot about his image. When Song Yushu twisted his ear, he felt like everyone on the street was laughing at him.
“If you don’t want to study, go back to farming! I won’t force you, but I’m not paying three taels of silver a year for your tuition so you can just laze around in town!”
"Wasn't that money provided by my father? I can do whatever I want. My father doesn't care about me. What do you, a mere woman, know!"
Zhou Chengyu felt that Song Yushu had made him lose face, and immediately began to speak recklessly.
Song Yushu felt a sharp pain in his chest and almost vomited blood from anger at his unfilial son.
"Hey! Where are you taking me? I can walk by myself! Don't touch me!"
Ignoring everything else, Song Yushu dragged him to Zhou Lao Er's carpentry shop.
"What are you doing here? Father is busy! He has no time to care about my affairs," Zhou Chengyu said, now somewhat regretful, thinking that Song Yushu was going to complain to his father.
Only Zhou Lao Er and another carpenter were working in the carpenter's shop. When they saw the mother and son coming over, the carpenter tactfully asked him to take them to the backyard.
"What are you doing here?" Clearly, Zhou Lao Er was still angry about Song Yushu refusing to lend him money.
"Ask your father who pays your tuition every year and who buys your clothes," Song Yushu said, laying everything bare today. Why is it that Zhou Lao Er did nothing, yet his children only remember him as their father? The original owner sacrificed so much, yet he couldn't even get basic respect.
"What are you doing now?" Zhou Lao Er frowned, feeling that she was trying to cause trouble.
"Who knew that I was just out for a stroll and I caught her eye? She didn't even know where she was and she was making a scene in the street. My classmates all saw it. How can I face the school tomorrow?" Zhou Chengyu vented his dissatisfaction to Song Yushu.
"Smack!"
"I'd rather have given birth to a piece of barbecued pork than a piece of meat like you! I'll beat you to death, you unfilial son!"
"You think you're ashamed of me? Then don't spend my money! Everything you wear, use, and eat—is it all paid for with my money?"
Song Yushu felt like her chest was about to explode with anger. For the sake of her health, she decided she couldn't hold back any longer and grabbed a wooden board from the side, which she then used to hit Zhou Chengyu.
"Dad! Help! Mom has gone mad again!" Zhou Chengyu screamed as he was being beaten, and quickly asked Zhou Lao Er to help him.
Zhou Lao Er was also shocked. In the past, she had treated this son like a treasure, but today she was so harsh on him. He quickly stopped Song Yushu from wielding the stick.
"Let go! He's grown up, have you ever cared for him? Did you know your son skipped school in town? You don't raise him, fine, but you don't even care about him. What right do you have to stop me from taking care of my son!" Song Yushu pulled away the stick, wishing she could hit the man in front of her as well.
After venting, he felt much better, and at least his tone was calmer now: "Let's go, Zhou Chengyu, I'll take you to the school to drop out."
"Why should I!" Zhou Chengyu didn't expect that skipping school would cause such a big fuss. Although he couldn't sit still and study, he knew that studying was more promising than farming.
“I paid for your school fees, so if you’re so capable, make your father pay! What do you say, Zhou Lao Er?” Song Yushu looked at Zhou Lao Er expressionlessly.
"Father, say something! Did Mother pay all these years' tuition fees?" Zhou Chengli asked incredulously.
“Chengyu, I’m sorry. Your older brother has studied for so many years and still wants to take the imperial examination. The money I’ve earned over the years is simply not enough to support you.” Zhou Lao Er met his incredulous gaze and looked away in shame.
“How could this be! I’m your son too! How could you…” Zhou Chengyu was deeply hurt at this moment.
"Stop your whining. Since you don't cherish the opportunity to study, then come with me and drop out. From now on, you can rely on your father for support. I can't be bothered with you anymore." Song Yushu knew that if he didn't take drastic measures this time, Zhou Chengyu would still act indifferent.
Zhou Chengyu was led to the academy gate dejectedly. He hesitated several times, but for the sake of his pride, he held his breath and remained silent.
The Wenxuan Hall that Zhou Chengyu attends is already the best school in town. Back then, the original owner gritted her teeth and sent Zhou Chengyu here to prove that her son was no worse than Zhou Chengli, but this is how it ended up. It's not worth it.
"Where is your teacher? My good-for-nothing son has caused you trouble. I want to take him to apologize," Song Yushu said, suppressing his anger as he looked at the pleasant environment inside Wenxuan Hall. He then asked the servant sweeping nearby.
"At his age, he should be in the Qisi class taught by Master Xue. Doctor Xue should be resting at Qingsong Hall. Let him take you there."
After thanking him, Song Yushu took Zhou Chengyu to find Master Xue.
Only then did Zhou Chengyu realize the fear that followed. In their school, Master Xue was usually the strictest. He had only dared to skip school because he had heard that Master Xue had something to do and couldn't come to school today. Who knew that Master Xue would actually come? This was terrible.
Even though he was still very uneasy, Song Yushu had found the place.
"Is Master Xue here? I need to speak with you," Song Yushu knocked on the door of Qingsong Hall.
"Come in."
His voice sounded low and hoarse, followed by a few coughs.
When Song Yushu pulled Zhou Chengyu in, they saw Master Xue frowning as he corrected his students' homework.
Xue Huai'an was somewhat surprised to see Song Yushu pulling Zhou Chengyu in. Zhou Chengyu usually skipped classes when he wasn't around. He had previously gone to the carpenter's shop to find Zhou Chengyu's father, but it was no use and he could only punish him by making him copy texts. Now, however, the parents had come.
"Master Xue, I am truly sorry. Zhou Chengyu is a child who is ignorant. I did not know he was skipping school in the village. I happened to run into him today, so I brought him here to apologize to you."
After Song Yushu finished speaking, she felt a little uneasy. She thought to herself that this man had a strong aura and seemed much more powerful than her high school homeroom teacher. However, she was no longer a student, so there was no need to panic.
"It's my fault for not disciplining them properly, Madam Zhou, you don't need to be like this."
Xue Huai'an had heard of Song Yushu's reputation, after all, he had taught Zhou Chengli before and had heard some rumors about him. However, Song Yushu did not seem as unreasonable and domineering as the rumors suggested.
“Master Xue, I’ve come here to help him get out of school. He doesn’t want to study, and I don’t want to force him. Farming is good too; if he’s hardworking, he can always have enough to eat.”
"Are we really going to expel Zhou Chengyu from school? This child is probably just being playful for a while; his academic performance isn't that bad..."
“Master Xue, there’s no need to say more. I went to great lengths to raise the money for his tuition when I sent him here. I never expected that he would be resented. I won’t force him anymore,” Song Yushu interrupted Xue Huai’an before he could finish speaking.
"mother……"
"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and pack your textbooks!" Song Yushu didn't give Zhou Chengyu a chance to explain and kicked him out.
“Madam Zhou is being far too hasty. Although Chengyu is playful, he has a good foundation. It would be a shame to drop him out of school so hastily. Perhaps I should let him go back and reflect on his actions for a few days. Maybe he can figure things out on his own.”
Xue Huai'an valued talent, and if Zhou Chengyu hadn't been so clever, and hadn't been so academically gifted despite skipping school, he wouldn't have tried to persuade him to stay.
"That would be ideal, but I would like to ask Master Xue for a favor. Consider this a test for him..."
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