Chapter 56: Small River Village 10

Chapter 56: Small River Village 10

After breakfast, the Lin family members went about their respective tasks.

Jiang Shitou shouldered his hoe, planning to finish digging the plot of land he hadn't completed yesterday so that his father could plant some seeds and vegetables when he returned.

Li Yuanniang picked up her laundry stick and basket, intending to wash the clothes they had changed out of the day before.

Xu Linshi had initially wanted to help with the laundry. As she was about to follow Li Yuanniang, Lin Xing started complaining about needing firewood. Xu Linshi glared at him and grabbed his wrist: "Come on, let's go gather wood on East Mountain!"

Small River Village was surrounded by mountains on three sides. The eastern and western mountains were frequented by hunters, so there were no large carnivores, making them ideal places for villagers to gather firewood.

The most taboo place in Small River Village was the back mountain, where dense trees and overgrown grass often echoed with wolf howls, turning it into a forbidden area.

Seeing Xu Linshi’s fiery eyes, Lin Xing didn’t dare to argue. He knew well the power of his eldest brother-in-law’s family. Bending down, he picked up his axe and followed her.

Once the adults from the Lin family left, Lin Qingyun, like a freed monkey, begged Xu Zerou to go play outside.

Xu Zeping tidied up the bowls and chopsticks on the table, tilting his head slightly: "Brother Qingyun, Grandma just said you need to look after little Baiyun."

"Soft Cousin, picking ferns is really fun!" Lin Qingyun was torn; he was a restless child who rarely stayed indoors except for meals and sleep. After much deliberation, he decided to involve someone else: "Cousin Rou, why don't we go pick ferns? Father loves ferns. If we bring some back, he won't be angry."

Xu Zerou, free from Madam Jiang’s watchful eye, couldn’t help but feel tempted. Her almond-shaped eyes sparkled with eagerness, but she hesitated, thinking about who would look after little Baiyun.

Xu Zerou paused, "Brother Qingyun, why don't we wait for Grandma to come back before going?"

"No way! Grandma won’t let us go then!" Lin Qingyun knew his grandmother well; she always wanted them to stay home.

"Why can’t we go?" Xu Zeping asked, knowing there must be a reason for the adults' restrictions.

"Oh, Brother Ping, trust me," Lin Qingyun scratched his head, frustrated: "Grandma worries too much. She doesn’t let me do anything and just wants me to watch her chop wood. Grandpa is better; he takes me fishing and picking fruits in the mountains."

Xu Zeping thought about it; adults generally believed children were safest under their watchful eyes.

"Cousin Rou, trust me. Little Baiyun will sleep until late morning, and Grandma will be back by then." Lin Qingyun tugged at Xu Zerou, trying to persuade her: "Come on, it’s really fun."

Xu Zerou hesitated, "Brother Qingyun, why don’t you take Brother Ping and the others? I’ll stay here and wait for Grandma."

Xu Zeping noticed his sister’s eagerness and thought of ways to keep the other children occupied, but... wasn’t it natural for kids to love playing?

Just then, a group of children ran over, shouting: "Qingyun, the ferns are out! Your father said the ferns are out."

"Let’s go pick ferns together!"

"Hurry, come lead the way!"

This made Lin Qingyun even more impatient.

Xu Zeping thought that following the group would be safe, so he said: "Sister, go play with Brother Qingyun. I have a task from Brother, so I’ll stay and look after little Baiyun."

Xu Zerou looked at Lin Qingyun’s eager face and the blue sky, fidgeting with her fingers: "Then I’m going?"

Xu Zeping noticed Cheng Ge Er clinging to him and asked: "Little brother, do you want to go play too?"

Compared to Xu Zerou, Cheng Ge Er naturally trusted the boy in front of him. He held onto Xu Zeping’s clothes and shook his head, indicating he wouldn’t go.

Seeing someone would look after little Baiyun, Lin Qingyun grabbed a small basket and dragged Xu Zerou out.

From afar, Xu Zeping could still hear the children’s loud voices.

"Qingyun, is this your cousin who came yesterday?"

"She’s beautiful, like a fairy!"

.....

Xu Zeping noticed Cheng Ge Er’s tight grip on his clothes and tilted his head: "Little brother, are you scared?"

Cheng Ge Er nodded first, then quickly shook his head.

Seeing the child’s head shaking like a rattle, Xu Zeping couldn’t help but smile, recalling how Minxue clung to him during their first trip to the amusement park, afraid of being lost in the crowd...

Thinking of this, Xu Zeping’s tone softened: "Little brother, don’t be afraid. As long as I’m here, I won’t abandon you."

Cheng Ge Er’s round cat-like eyes stared intently at Xu Zeping, assessing his sincerity.

Xu Zeping patted his head gently, "If you’re scared, you can think of me as your big brother. My mother says brothers protect their younger siblings."

Cheng Ge Er felt the genuine kindness again, breaking his defenses.

Meeting Xu Zeping’s bright, dark phoenix eyes, Cheng Ge Er silently agreed to be his brother.

"Little brother, can you help me move my desk out?" Xu Zeping noticed Cheng Ge Er’s loosening grip, sensing his reduced anxiety.

Cheng Ge Er nodded firmly.

Together, they walked through the main room to Xu Zeping’s side room.

Before entering, Xu Zeping listened at the wall of Lin Xing’s room to ensure little Baiyun was still asleep before proceeding.

Entering the side room, Cheng Ge Er smelled the lingering scent of ink, surprised. Even noble families typically began schooling at five, yet this four-year-old boy already read and wrote.

Comparing the reactions of Xu Zeping’s family and his uncle’s, Cheng Ge Er concluded that this boy, if not born into wealth, certainly enjoyed a comfortable upbringing.

Approaching the desk, Cheng Ge Er saw the paper and books laid out neatly.

The calligraphy on the books was elegant and precise, surpassing even his teacher’s handwriting. His teacher was the best in the county, rumored to be a former scholar.

On the paper, a neat, graceful hand caught Cheng Ge Er’s eye.

This is "An Introduction to Prosody."

After finishing the reading of the calligraphy on the xuan paper, Cheng Ge Er immediately recognized its origin.

Initially, Xu Zeping did not think much of it, but when he noticed how seriously Zeping was looking at it, he suddenly recalled Zeping's mysterious and affluent background, and his face turned red. "Little brother, do you know how to read?"

After all, his handwriting was truly abysmal.