The family is busy, and everyone is not idle. Chen Qinghe began to think about this matter as early as when the messenger came to Nanxi Village. Now that Chen Ping was about to enter the academy, he found some free time to put all the things at home together.
Gather all the sons.
Chen Duohai arrived late. He had just returned from the town, and the money from the herbal medicines he sold was still warm, so he hurried home.
When the bullock cart stopped, he was sweating profusely. As soon as he entered the door, he saw all the brothers staring at him, and his always serious father was sitting on the main seat.
"Dad, what's the matter with all of us here today?" Chen Duoguang, the second eldest son, asked softly when he saw everyone was here, "I've been busy working in the fields recently."
"Shouldn't you be working in the fields?"
Chen Qinghe raised his eyes and glanced at his second son, who had always been lazy, and then called Chen Duohai forward, "Your boy is going to the academy in the town at the beginning of the month, right?"
Chen Duohai nodded, with a smile in his eyes, "It's almost over."
"The main reason why I called you here today is for this matter." Chen Qinghe took a sip of the water soaked with tea residue, "It is not easy for our old Chen family to produce a scholar. You brothers have been close friends since you were young. According to my opinion,
Each of you contribute some silver, and together you can help the mistress."
The five sons stood in front of Chen Qinghe, facing his request, no one dared to speak.
Chen Duohai wanted to refuse, but the rejection in Chen Qinghe's eyes made him timid.
"I think this is a good thing! I'll discuss it with my wife later, and I'll send the money to your house tonight." Chen Duochun was the first to speak. His words were like the key to breaking the silence. Several other brothers also spoke in support.
The same goes for the boss Chen Duoguang.
But as soon as he agreed, Chen Qinghe snorted coldly, "You'd better go home and discuss it first."
Others don't know about Zhou's difficulty, but Chen Qinghe knows it very well, but he is too lazy to care about his boss's affairs.
Chen Duoguang was the eldest son, but he was slapped in the face by his father in front of all his brothers. He blushed but did not dare to say a word, but because of his face, he finally said vaguely, "I have the final say." After talking about the matter, the old man asked the brothers to disperse. He still had to go to the fields to take a look, so Chen Duohai was left behind.
Here, Chen Duoguang returned home. As soon as he mentioned a few words to Mrs. Zhou, she dropped the needle and thread in her hand and cursed regardless, "What did you promise? It's just a few cents of land. Where do you point to it?"
Money? Is that an academy? It’s a money-burning place! I don’t know how many holes we have to fill in!”
"Then what do you want to do?" Chen Duoguang had just been embarrassed by the old man. When he turned around, he was pointed at his nose and scolded by Zhou. Even the clay figurine was quite angry. He shouted at Zhou, "
Everyone agreed, we are not the only ones!"
Chen Duoguang was so angry that he took the hoe and walked out.
Zhou, who was left alone, became angrier the more she thought about it. She closed the door and walked towards the courtyard next to her.
When she entered the door and saw Mrs. Xiang tidying up the dead leaves in the bamboo strips, Mrs. Zhou couldn't help but get angry, "How many days have you not done any work? This bamboo strip has been blinded for nothing."
"What's bothering my sister-in-law?" Xiang picked up the raspberry leaves sandwiched in the bamboo strips, "I don't have time to entertain you right now."
"That's right. I asked the old man for help and asked for money, so how could he have time to take care of me?"
"Careful with your words, don't talk nonsense."
"Isn't this old man calling your brothers to ask for money for Chen Ping's study?"
Xiang frowned. She had never heard Chen Duohai talk about this matter, but looking at Zhou's appearance, it didn't look like she was lying.
Seeing that the other party didn't speak, Mrs. Zhou became even more rational, "They are all people who are treading on yellow mud, just digging for food in the ground. Do you have to jump into the hole where you are burning money? That's it, you have to pull us in."
What about a family? Your children are so valuable together? I’m not sure what the future will be like..."
"Ms. Zhou!" Xiang Shi could still listen to what she said before, but in the end she brought Chen Ping with her, and she couldn't help it.
The two stared at each other. Chen Duohai saw this scene as soon as he stepped into the house. He walked in with a sneer. Before he could speak, Zhou turned around and walked out.
Chen Duohai could only look at Xiang, but all he could see was his back.
At night, several brothers came to Chen Duohai's home one after another, but Chen Duoguang never showed up.
"Go to sleep. With Zhou's temper, I'm afraid he won't come." Xiang put a coat on Chen Duohai and urged him to rest quickly.
"No, I'm waiting."
It's not for money, I just feel that the relationship between the brothers is more than that.
The night was getting darker, and footsteps sounded outside the door. Chen Duoguang called Chen Duohai's name softly, a little vaguely.
When I got closer, I realized that there were still red marks on his face.
"Brother, what's going on with you?"
Chen Duoguang shook his head and took out a lot of money tied with a straw rope from his arms, "It's not much, you make do with it."
"I knew you would come, take the money back quickly."
Chen Duoguang was not very good at talking. He acted directly and forcefully told his younger brother, "I told her."
After saying that, he turned around and hurried back to the house, leaving Chen Duohai standing there.
......
Finally, the day came to report to the academy, and the family of three rushed to the town early with their luggage.
Chen Duohai also picked up the apprenticeship ceremony booked earlier. Taking the documents given by the messenger, the three of them headed towards Huating Academy.
As mentioned in the previous exam, Chen Ping's tuition fees were reduced by half, and even the accommodation fees were waived. Xiang left some money for Chen Ping for emergencies, and wanted to help him clean up the house, but Chen Ping was
Sent away.
Chen Ping couldn't handle such a trivial matter since he had to trouble his parents. He asked someone in the academy to bring water and made the bed himself, because it was only for students to rest, and he was not the only one living in the room.
By the time he had finished most of the cleaning, the students living with him had already arrived.
The two exchanged names, and Chen Ping continued working.
Ye Chongwen is wearing a blue robe. He looks about the same age as Chen Ping, but his complexion is much paler than Chen Ping. Every move he makes is just right. He is obviously a kid from a wealthy family.
From the moment he walked in, his eyes kept wandering over Chen Ping, and he was afraid of being discovered, so he looked up and looked out the window from time to time.
"Is your name really Chen Ping?" Ye Chongwen hesitated for a long time but still wanted to confirm.
"Of course, what's the problem?"
"But that Chen Ping who was asked about arithmetic?"
"If you are talking about exams, there is indeed some arithmetic."
"So it's you!" Ye Chongwen looked at Chen Ping with resentment in his eyebrows, "Do you know that you have caused me so much pain..."
"How can I say this? You and I just met for the first time today."
Ye Chongwen's mouth showed a trace of bitterness, "This matter has to start from last month. I used to recite poems with my friends and enjoy flowers, but there was one person who attracted the elders in the family to talk about it every day. It was not a big deal at all.
But since my father learned that people who are proficient in arithmetic are about the same age as me, my inability to do arithmetic has become my father’s hatred.”
"I always feel that these words seem familiar."
"My father said, look at Chen Ping, and then look at yourself."
Chen Ping: "..."
What an unreasonable disaster, how could he have imagined that one day he would become someone else's child in the eyes of adults.
Facing the victim, Chen Ping didn't know how to comfort him, but the victim was indeed in such pain because of himself, so he had no choice but to look like a good brother and hold Ye Chongwen's hand, "Don't panic, I'll teach you arithmetic from now on, okay?" Ye Chongwen suddenly withdrew his hand, widened his eyes in panic, covered his chest with one hand, and spoke in a heavy tone.
"You...how did you say such vicious words?"
"I didn't mean that!" Chen Ping quickly explained, "Arithmetic is not difficult, you can definitely do it!"
"No, no, no, you think highly of me."
"Why are you giving up before you even try it?"
Ye Chongwen retreated continuously, and Chen Ping pressed forward step by step.
With the wall behind him, Ye Chongwen had no choice but to retreat. Seeing that Chen Ping was about to lead him into the hell of arithmetic, he closed his eyes in fear, but heard the other party's laughter.
"Brother Chen...why are you laughing?"
"I'm just telling you a joke."
Ye Chongwen was still frightened, "It's such a joke, once is enough."