Chapter 42: Xiaoman Wants to Learn to Read

The group bade farewell to Student Zheng, stepped out of the Zheng family courtyard, and then took their leave of Elder Zheng.

Once they had walked about a hundred meters away, Sun Bomin finally breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Third Uncle Sun in admiration. "Third Brother, you really are something! How did you ever dare to speak so boldly to Student Zheng? To be honest with you, whenever I see a scholar, I feel entirely out of place, terrified of saying the wrong thing."

Hearing his eldest brother’s praise, Third Uncle Sun puffed out his chest with self-satisfied pride and said, "What's so difficult about that? Don't you worry, Eldest Brother, Student Zheng will take my feelings into account and teach Shanzi properly."

With that, he strutted forward with an exaggerated, devil-may-care swagger.

Sun Bomin looked at his third brother speechlessly, knowing full well he was bragging again, yet he didn't expose him. In his heart, he genuinely admired his third brother's slick tongue and lively adaptability, able to chatter endlessly about anything with absolutely anyone.

They had set out in the morning, and by the time they returned to Sun Family Village, it was already midday. Sun Shanzi and Sun Bomin walked into the old Sun family residence.

The courtyard was bustling with activity, and all of the household's daughters were present.

Madam Su immediately hurried over and asked, "Dear husband, is the enrollment done? What did Student Zheng say?" She pulled Sun Shanzi into her arms and looked him up and down carefully. Good, he hadn't changed a bit.

Madam Huang walked out from the main room and asked with deep concern, "Was everything smooth?"

Snatching Sun Shanzi from Madam Su's grasp, she gently patted her grandson's little head and smiled as she asked, "Shanzi, is the teacher easy to get along with?"

Sun Shanzi answered with quiet confidence, "The teacher is very kind, and he even gave me a book." He handed the book over for Madam Huang to see.

Madam Huang took *The Classic of Three Characters*, stroked it with tender care, and said in a solemn, reverent tone, "You must take good care of this and make sure it doesn't get ruined."

Sun Shanzi nodded and replied, "Grandmother, I will definitely cherish it."

Lixia and the others looked at Sun Shanzi's book with longing in their eyes. Hanlu, being younger, asked with a pitiful, eager expression, "Father, Mother, I want to go to school too."

The eldest aunt could read as well, and Xiaoman dreamed of marrying into the prefectural city like her aunt so she wouldn't have to toil away.

Madam Su snapped sharply, "What use is a pair of walking shoes studying books? Only boys are meant to study."

For a radius of a hundred miles, no one had ever heard of girls going to school. Naturally, Student Zheng had never taken in female students either.

Scolded by Madam Su, Xiaoman's eyes turned red; she dared to feel angry, but she didn't dare to speak out.

Sun Bomin quickly chimed in, "Third lass, even if we let you go study, no one would take you. Student Zheng doesn't accept girls."

Back in the day, the eldest aunt's ability to read was due to the village doctor, who had taught her privately.

Even if Sun Bomin wanted his daughters to be literate, he lacked the means despite his good intentions. When he was a child and the family's fortunes were better, he had attended a private school for a year, but after his grandfather passed away, he had no choice but to drop out and return home.

Naturally, everything he had learned was forgotten entirely.

By now, he was no different from an illiterate man.

Madam Huang pulled Xiaoman close and comforted her, "Third lass, we would love for all of you to learn to read, but the family simply doesn't have the conditions."

A granddaughter wanting to learn was a fine thing, but the family's harsh reality stood right before them. With so many boys in the Sun family, everyone depended on the eldest daughters to help support the household, so it was hardly the granddaughters' turn.

The family couldn't possibly cater to the daughters in everything, or the He family would have objections.

Madam Su glared fiercely at her third daughter and said unceremoniously, "Don't not know when you're well off. The family doesn't lack for your food or clothes; compared to others, you already have it much better."

Hearing Madam Su's reprimand, Xiaoman and the other girls didn't dare to breathe too loudly. Madam Su was the fiercest person in the household and the most terrifying when it came to beating others; all the sisters were deathly afraid of her.

Sensing that the atmosphere was turning sour, Sun Shanzi quickly changed the subject. "Grandmother, the teacher gave Father a list of items to buy in the county town, things needed for school."

Sun Shanzi had already glanced over that list. Written in traditional characters, he could more or less understand what was on it.

It was nothing more than asking them to prepare brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, and other elementary school supplies.

Upon hearing about the items needed for school, Madam Su asked anxiously, "Dear husband, you must head to the county town tomorrow and buy them all. You have to get every single thing so Shanzi can attend school properly."

Madam Huang asked with equal concern, "When does Shanzi start school?"

The school supplies had to be prepared thoroughly. Whatever others had, Shanzi had to have as well. He could not afford to fall behind others and miss out on his studies.

Sun Bomin pulled a piece of paper from inside his tunic. Writing was on it, though he couldn't read most of it, Student Zheng had explained it to him item by item: mostly brushes, ink, paper, and books.

These were all necessities for school.

Student Zheng had even given him specific instructions to buy them at the "Name on the Golden Roll" bookstore in the county town, where one of the family's sons worked, which would secure them a discount.

Sun Bomin said, "Today is the twenty-third of the twelfth month, and Student Zheng said school starts on the twenty-five. We only have tomorrow left."

Madam Huang said anxiously, "Then you must go to the county town tomorrow to buy them! Do you have enough money? If not, I have some here."

She had no idea how much it would cost, but brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, and books were bound to be expensive. There was nothing used by scholars that came cheap.

Madam Huang hurried over to her bedroom to fetch the money.

Sun Bomin followed behind, saying, "Mother, I have money here. You don't need to give me yours."

How could he take his mother's money? Today's one tael for the enrollment fee had already come from her.

Seeing the honest and thick-headed Sun Bomin, Madam Su wished she could sew his mouth shut. If her mother-in-law was willing to give, why wouldn't she take it?

If it stayed with the old woman, it would sooner or later be conned away by the younger sister-in-law.

Rather than benefiting the Zhou family, it was better to spend it on Shanzi. Since the mother-in-law doted on her grandson so much, whatever was spent would be spent willingly by her.

Madam Huang emerged with a money pouch, waved her hand, and said, "There are five taels here. Take it. It's not for you; it's for my little grandson."

Looking at Sun Shanzi with affectionate doting, she smiled and said, "Shanzi, you must study hard. Don't you worry about the money."

Sun Shanzi straightened his back and said solemnly, "Grandmother, I will study hard. I will pass the imperial examinations to become a scholar and a top scorer, and win a noble title for you."

Whether he could actually achieve it was another matter entirely, but elderly folks always loved being coaxed. Sun Shanzi liked Madam Huang and loved making her happy.

Sure enough, Madam Huang pressed her lips together and chuckled softly. Unlike the boisterous village crones who laughed without restraint, she was gentle like water, mild-tempered, quiet, and virtuous.

Madam Su never expected her mother-in-law to hand over a full five taels, and she was so overjoyed she didn't know which way was up. This meant that Shanzi's tuition and miscellaneous expenses for the entire year were taken care of.

She beamed and said, "Thank you, Mother-in-law! Once Shanzi grows up, he will definitely show you filial piety." And of course, she thought, he'll show filial piety to me too, since I'm his mother.

While the adults were conversing, Guyu and her sisters slipped away to the kitchen to prepare the midday meal.

Since their father and younger brother had just mentioned being hungry, Guyu prepared two bowls of rice noodles for them and fried an egg to top each bowl.

Guyu said to her third sister Xiaoman, "Don't think too much. Being born into our mother's belly is already the greatest stroke of luck. Just look around Sun Family Village—leave aside girls, even some boys don't get enough to eat. And look at Second Aunt; her three daughters and eldest granddaughter were driven back home in such a miserable state. You saw that yourself."

As Xiaoman listened to her eldest sister talk about Second Aunt and her daughters, her body trembled involuntarily. She whimpered, "Eldest Sister, I understand now. I won't talk back ever again."

Lixia and Xiaoman also chimed in, promising not to anger their father and mother anymore and to work diligently.

Sun Shanzi quietly slipped into the kitchen, took four pieces of milk candy from his pocket, handed them to his sisters, and said earnestly, "Third Sister, once I learn how to read, I'll come back and teach you."

He glanced at his eldest, second, and third sisters, and added solemnly, "I'll teach all of you."

Guyu glanced outside to make sure her mother, father, and grandmother hadn't followed them in. She said anxiously, "You just focus on studying well; you don't need to teach us. As long as you make something of yourself, we will live good lives, and no one will dare bully us."

The family relied entirely on Shanzi's existence; otherwise, their mother would have suffered the same fate as Second Aunt and been cast aside.

Having failed to produce a son for a long time previously, her father, grandmother, and even the eldest aunt had harbored resentment.

It was only because they were kind-hearted people that they had given her mother time and a chance to bear a son.

Guyu was the firstborn child of Sun Bomin and Madam Su, and she had enjoyed a period of being cherished. But as younger girls were born one after another, the entire Sun household had grown gloomy and lifeless.

Thank heavens their younger brother had finally arrived. Guyu was content; with her younger brother around, she and her sisters could have a secure future.

Sun Shanzi waved his hand and said, "I'll teach you. I'll teach everyone. The teacher said that teaching others is like reviewing the lessons once more, which makes the knowledge you acquire even deeper."

Sun Shanzi was already planning to make Sun Bomin and Madam Su learn characters as well. As for Madam Huang, considering her advanced age, he decided to let her off the hook.