Chapter 41
The next day, Fang Zichen went to work, and Zhao Ger fetched water, cleaned the kitchen, picked up a basket, closed the door, and headed to Zhou Ger’s house.
The bamboo shoots he had dug up a few days ago were all eaten. Fang Zichen particularly liked this dish.
Chopped up and stir-fried with minced meat, he could finish a whole plate by himself. In the morning, he also liked having it stir-fried to eat with porridge.
A small jar’s worth was gone in just a few days.
He planned to dig some more. If there were extra, he could make sour bamboo shoots—stir-fried, they’d go well with rice, and boiled with noodles, they’d be delicious too. Fang Zichen would surely like it even more.
In the village, only the southern slope had a patch of mao bamboo (moso bamboo), but the terrain there was steep and full of rocks. It wouldn’t be safe for Guaizai to go.
When he arrived at Zhou Ger’s house, Aunt Liu and the others happened to be eating. As soon as Zhao Ger mentioned it, Zhou Ger immediately agreed.
Guaizai had already eaten. Zhou Ger asked if he wanted more, but he shook his head: "Guaizai ate already, belly full. Uncle Zhou, you eat."
He went to play alone in the yard. Liuliu’s eyes followed him, and he had no mind for eating anymore. After hurriedly stuffing a few bites, he put down his chopsticks and ran outside.
Zhou Ger called after him, but he just said he was full.
"He only ate two bites. He’ll probably be hungry by afternoon," Aunt Liu said.
"Let him be," Zhou Ger replied. "Now that Guaizai is here, how could he focus on eating? Besides, he doesn’t like this wild greens porridge anyway. If he’s hungry, so be it—as long as he doesn’t starve."
The two children were well-behaved and didn’t run around.
Zhou Ger’s family kept two old hens. Usually, they just threw some vegetable leaves to feed them, so they didn’t eat well and laid small eggs. Liuliu took Guaizai to dig for earthworms by the roadside. They filled a bamboo tube before leisurely heading back.
Normally, Guaizai loved squatting nearby to watch Liuliu feed the chickens, but today, for the first time, he didn’t follow.
After feeding the chickens, Liuliu came to the front yard and saw Guaizai squatting on the ground, drawing in the dirt with a small stick.
"What are you doing?"
"Writing," Guaizai said. "Father taught me!"
"Wow~" Liuliu was only a little over three years old and didn’t understand many things, but he often heard people say that those who could read were amazing—they could become big officials and earn lots and lots of silver.
He was a little envious. Propping his chin on his hands, he squatted beside Guaizai and watched carefully. But after staring for a while, he still couldn’t make sense of it.
Liuliu said, "Guaizai, I wanna learn too."
"Okay~" Guaizai broke the stick in half and gave him a piece. "Repeat after me. Say it while you write, and you’ll learn soon."
That was how Fang Zichen had taught him.
The night they bought the books, after dinner while it was still light out, Fang Zichen had sat in the yard reading.
He didn’t have much time at home during the day. Guaizai had wanted to play with him, but Zhao Ger pulled him back to the kitchen, afraid he’d disturb Fang Zichen.
Guaizai stood in the kitchen for a while, but he missed Fang Zichen too much, so he went to the window. He was so small that he had to stand on tiptoe to peek out, staring longingly at Fang Zichen.
Fang Zichen had noticed him long ago. Meeting his pitiful gaze, he smiled and waved him over.
Guaizai grinned, glanced at Zhao Ger to make sure he wasn’t looking, then dashed out. He wrapped his arms around Fang Zichen’s neck, nuzzled his face, and said sweetly, "Father, Guaizai missed you."
Fang Zichen pulled him into his lap. "How much did you miss me?"
Guaizai sat obediently in his arms, gesturing with his hands. "Lots and lots, this much!"
"Why do you miss Father?"
"Father is good to Guaizai. Guaizai loves Father."
Fang Zichen kissed his cheek. "I love you too. Should Father teach you to read?"
Guaizai clapped his hands. "Okay~"
Zhao Ger stood at the kitchen door. Fang Zichen called him over and said he’d teach him too.
Zhao Ger hesitated. "Will I disturb you?"
"No," Fang Zichen shook his head. "Teaching you two is like reviewing for me."
After half a month of lessons, Guaizai and Zhao Ger had both learned many characters and could do addition and subtraction within double digits.
The sun was too hot, so the two children moved to the shade under the eaves. Zhou Ger and Aunt Liu were sewing shoe soles, while Uncle Liu twisted straw rope nearby.
The sound of childish recitation drifted over.
"At the beginning of life, nature is good."
"At the beginning of life, nature is good."
"Do you remember what this means?" Guaizai pointed at the characters on the ground and asked.
Liuliu thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Forgot."
Guaizai said seriously, "It means when people are born, they’re all good."
"Oh! I remember now."
Uncle Liu paused his work. Zhou Ger and Aunt Liu exchanged glances, then stood up and walked over behind the children.
Zhou Ger stared at the characters on the ground, looking excited. "Guaizai, Liuliu, what are you two doing?"
Liuliu spoke first. "Guaizai is teaching me to read."
"Is that so?" Zhou Ger squatted down, looking at Guaizai. "Guaizai, you know how to read now?"
Guaizai nodded. "Mm! Father taught me."
His forehead was sweaty from the heat. Aunt Liu led him inside. "What else has your father taught you?"
Guaizai’s legs were numb from squatting, and today’s review time was over, so he followed her. "Reading and counting money."
Aunt Liu was surprised. "He taught you to count money too? Did you learn it?"
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