Chapter 97: After School

PS:

After trying a week of updating twice a day, I realized it was too tight with work and family responsibilities. So, I’ve switched back to one update per day. Though it’s just 1,000 fewer words daily, it no longer feels as rushed. Sometimes, every word and sentence requires careful deliberation, which is mentally exhausting. I want to write well, not just meet word counts haphazardly. I hope you all understand.

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“Sixth Sister, this watermelon is really delicious.”

“Even if it’s delicious, don’t eat anymore. It’s mealtime—you won’t have room for rice.”

“Being full is the same, whether from rice or watermelon.”

“Watermelon is mostly water. If you only eat watermelon, you’ll get hungry soon.”

“Goat milk is also mostly water. Why do you drink goat milk when you’re hungry, Sixth Sister?”

“Those two are different.”

“How are they different? Aren’t they both just water?”

“Yuan’er, are you disobeying your Sixth Sister again?”

“Oh, Mother’s back! Yuan’er is thirsty and had a piece of watermelon. Mother, please sit down. Yuan’er will bring you some right away.”

Watching Lin Yuan bustling around, Lin Fang inwardly sighed in relief—finally, someone else to handle the girl. This little one was truly difficult. Before, she was just quick with her words, but with bound feet, she couldn’t run fast, so Lin Fang could still manage her. But ever since her feet were freed last year, she became even more of a wild child. No one could control her except Dong Panyu.

Lin Fang glanced behind Dong Panyu and asked, “Auntie, why didn’t Mother return with you?”

Dong Panyu, also thirsty, took a big bite of watermelon before answering, “Your mother was with me, but we ran into Zhang Qi’s wife on the way. She wanted your mother to draw a floral pattern for her.”

“Isn’t Zhang Qi’s wife about to give birth? Why is she still running around?”

“Ah, farming folks aren’t that delicate. She’s just started learning embroidery and is so excited she wants to make a bellyband for her child herself. She couldn’t wait for your mother to return. When we met her, she was almost at the textile workshop’s door.”

“Haha, she’s really impatient.”

Zhang Qi was a tenant farmer of the Lin family. His wife was nearly nine months pregnant and had only begun learning embroidery this year, mastering just the basic stitches.

*Slap!* Dong Panyu swatted Lin Yuan’s hand away from the watermelon plate and asked Lin Fang, “How was Yuan’er’s studies today? Did she cause trouble?”

“Oh, today we learned six characters. She only doesn’t know five of them.” Every time Dong Panyu asked this question, Lin Fang had to twist her words—it gave her a headache.

“Hmm, not bad.” Dong Panyu nodded twice before realizing, “Wait, does that mean she only learned one character all day?”

“Auntie, Qian’er has already prepared dinner. Fang’er will head back now. Enjoy your meal, Auntie.” *Now’s the time to slip away—any slower, and my ears will suffer again.*

*Whew—* Only after leaving the schoolhouse did Lin Fang slow her pace.

In the past, Dong Panyu believed that “ignorance is a virtue for women” and kept Lin Yuan confined at home, never letting her step outside. She hadn’t even taught Lin Yuan basic literacy. But after moving to Baishui Town, influenced by the villagers, Dong Panyu gradually agreed to let Lin Yuan learn to read. And since bound feet were impractical in the vast countryside, she also freed Lin Yuan’s feet, which had been bound for three years, and urged her to attend the Lin family’s private school daily. But Lin Yuan seemed to have hyperactivity—she couldn’t sit still for a moment, and not a single day’s homework was ever completed.

Not far along, she ran into Granny Lan, who was hurrying toward the schoolhouse. “Oh, Sixth Young Miss, why didn’t you wait for Xian’er to fetch you? Please wait a moment—this old servant will just return the water bucket to the schoolhouse and then escort you back.”

Leaving the bucket by the roadside wasn’t an option—not because someone might steal it, but because small animals might knock it over and roll it away.

While Lin Wen studied in Shengcheng, Granny Lan had accompanied him, handling his daily chores. Last year, after Lin Wen passed his exams but was forced to halt his studies, Granny Lan returned with him to Baishui Town and voluntarily took on odd jobs at the private school.

The students at the school were all villagers who had moved to the area over the past two years—some were young children, others adults in their forties or fifties. Most just wanted to learn basic literacy. The school’s teacher was eight-year-old Lin Fang. Lin Dalang and Li Cuimei also occasionally taught, mainly answering questions Lin Fang couldn’t handle. Lin Wen had tried teaching, but his overly scholarly approach made him less popular than Lin Fang.

Lin Fang’s feet were still growing very slowly. Though she was eight, her feet were smaller than a typical four-year-old’s. Lin Dalang had specially paved the path to her house with bricks, and the villagers knew this was the “Little Teacher’s Path,” so they avoided it to prevent damaging the bricks and causing her to trip.

Earlier in the year, Lin Fang had arranged for Qian’er to be freed from servitude and married to one of their tenant farmers. Granny Liu, who had just welcomed two great-grandchildren, was given leave to care for them, leaving only Xian’er by Lin Fang’s side.

Qian’er, who had learned cooking from Granny Zhou, still worked in the Lin household’s kitchen after her marriage. Granny Zhou, meanwhile, became the head cook at the clothing workshop. Xian’er had been sent back to the estate to fetch something but was delayed—classes were over, and she still hadn’t returned.

Lin Fang refused Granny Lan’s assistance, so the old woman simply walked beside her, making conversation.

“Granny Lan, don’t you feel lonely at the schoolhouse at night?”

The villagers lived scattered, and the school was built in the fields. During the day, it was lively with students, and at noon, the school kitchen provided free hot water and thin soup. Those who brought their own meals could eat there, while those with better means could dine in the kitchen. Granny Lan tallied the meal requests each morning to avoid waste. Nearby students went home for lunch. After school ended in the afternoon, only Granny Lan remained, staying overnight at the school.

Kicking aside a stray rock left by some mischievous child, Granny Lan chuckled, “Heh, I’m so busy all day that by nightfall, I’m exhausted—I just collapse into sleep. No time for loneliness.”

Lin Fang asked, “At your age, why don’t you have family? Did Grandmother only send you here alone back then?”

Granny Lan sighed. “Ah, it’s my bad luck. The Old Madam arranged a marriage for me, but the man died of illness within months. Later, she married me off to the steward’s nephew, but he died before the wedding. I’m an ill omen. When the Old Madam wanted to arrange another match, I refused.”

Lin Fang shook her head. “That ‘ill omen’ nonsense is baseless—don’t believe it. You’re not even forty yet. If you’re willing, plenty of farmers would marry you. Should I ask Mother to arrange a match for you? Companionship in old age is important—someone to lean on.”

“Forgive this old servant’s impertinence, Young Miss, but I’ve given up on that. Truth be told, I’d rather rely on the master’s household than marry a stranger.” Granny Lan was familiar enough with Lin Fang to joke around—she knew her young mistress was kind and considerate.

“Then how about adopting a godchild? So you won’t be alone in old age.”

At this, Granny Lan’s mind flashed to someone—but that person was beyond her station. She smiled. “Children are a matter of fate. Thank you for your kindness, Sixth Young Miss.”

As they reached the estate gate, Lin Wen hurried out. Spotting Lin Fang, he quickly took her hand. Granny Lan bowed and returned to the schoolhouse.

Lin Wen led Lin Fang inside, teasing, “Little Sister, Second Brother was just about to fetch you from school. Why the hurry? Hungry?”

Lin Fang was curious. “Why you? Where’s Xian’er? Did you rope her into hard labor again?”

“Sixth Young Miss, I’m here!” Xian’er popped her head out of Lin Wen’s room, waving something.

Lin Fang let go of Lin Wen and hurried over. Peering at the object in Xian’er’s hands, she asked, “What’s this?”

Xian’er nodded toward the table. “Second Young Master wanted to make a clay toy for you but wasn’t satisfied with his attempts. So he brought out a portrait and asked me to sculpt it instead.”

*A clay toy?* Lin Fang looked at the portrait on the table—it was one painted by Guo Siniang.

During New Year’s, Lin Wu had set off firecrackers. One had inexplicably flown toward Lin Fang and exploded, startling her into stumbling. Lin Wen, nearby, caught her but ended up rolling to the ground himself. Lin Wu, panicking, tried to pull them up but was playfully tripped by Lin Wen, sending all three tumbling into a heap. Their parents had laughed, and Guo Siniang, charmed by the scene, had painted it. But why Lin Wen wanted to recreate it in clay was a mystery.

Noticing his sister’s questioning look, Lin Wen explained, “Qi Biao has found me a job. I’ll be leaving soon, and carrying a painting around isn’t practical. I thought of making a clay statue, but I’m not as skilled as Fifth Brother. So I asked Xian’er to help.”

Xian’er, who loved to play, had picked up some crafting skills from watching Lin Wu work.

“What job did Qi Biao find for you?”

“Copying documents for the military at first. We’ll see later.”

“Is Qi Biao going with you?”

“No, he’s continuing his studies—he plans to take the military exams.”

“Do Father and Mother know?”

“I’ll tell them when they return.”

“That’s good. Second Brother, you’ve always been diligent in your studies, but fate hasn’t been kind. Staying here would waste your potential. The military might offer you a future.”

“But military discipline is strict—leaving without permission is rare. Seeing family won’t be easy.”

“That’s fine. ‘No pain, no gain.’”

Lin Wen laughed. “You little sage, always spouting odd sayings—but they’re true enough.”

At sixteen, Lin Wen should have been discussing marriage long ago, but he wasn’t in a hurry and had advised his parents not to rush. He didn’t want to tie himself down so young or rely on his parents forever—he wanted to carve out his own path. Lin Dalang and his wife, believing men should be ambitious, didn’t pressure him, leaving his future to fate.

After chatting awhile, Lin Wen sighed. “When you first said you wanted to start a school, I laughed and said if you succeeded, I’d become a teacher there if I had nowhere else to go. Now you’ve made it happen, while I’m still stuck.”

Lin Fang smiled. “This barely counts as a school. Everyone else is busy—only I, with my unsteady feet, am useless. Father and Mother indulged me because I had nothing else to do. Only these simple villagers would learn from a child like me. A real school would never tolerate such a wild little girl.”

Lin Wen shook his head. “Don’t undervalue yourself. The villagers may be simple, but they know what they want. I, a ranked scholar, am less popular as a teacher than you, a little girl. That proves you’re exceptional. You’ve always been clever—you’ll achieve your dreams.”

Lin Fang giggled. “Well then, I’ll take your blessing! May I someday run a real school and make all my dreams come true.”