Chapter 15 Preparing for School

  Qingsheng had also been stifled for a long time and couldn't find anyone to talk to, so every time he met with Baituifen, as long as she was free to sit down, he would definitely chat with her, talking about family matters, even if sometimes one sentence was repeated hundreds of times, neither of them were tired of it, one willing to speak and the other willing to listen.

  Around ten o'clock, An Shaojie came back from outside.

  When I came back, Qing Sheng had already left, Shao Min was asleep, and in the main room, only Bai Cuifen sat alone.

  Shao Jie suddenly felt a pang of tenderness, thinking that Ah Niang sitting alone under the lamp looked pitiful and lonely. He forgot the resentment he had towards her when he was wandering outside by himself earlier.

  "Are you back? Let me help you wash your feet?" Bai Cuifen walked up to Shao Jie with a somewhat guilty conscience, her body slightly tired and her voice soft and gentle.

  Ever since Shaojie began to understand the gossip and rumors of the villagers, Bai Cuifen always felt a little guilty in front of him. Although she was innocent with Qing Shu, she always thought that it was her own fault for not doing enough well, which brought trouble and harm to him, so in front of Shaojie, she always had a sense of guilt.

  "I'll do it myself." Although his resentment towards her had already dissipated, he still stubbornly refused to look at her and tossed out a curt sentence before heading into the kitchen.

  Bai Cuifen gazed at his slender back, reached into her pocket to touch the money, and followed him into the kitchen.

  "Shao Jie, do you... want to read books?" Bai Cuifen asked as she leaned in close to Shao Jie.

  Shao Jie looked up at Bai Cui Fen, hesitated for a moment, and then replied firmly: "No."

  "Don't you want to? Why?" Bai Cuifen was stunned, and then immediately showed a flattering smile.

  She knew Shao Jie was worried about having no money at home and was afraid of making things difficult for her by speaking his mind, so he reluctantly gave that answer.

  "Tomorrow I'll take you to school to register, okay? Once you're registered, you can start attending classes!" Bai Cuifen couldn't contain her joy, raised an eyebrow and smiled at Shao Jie, with one hand in her pocket clutching the money.

  "Really?"

  Shao Jie said he didn't want to go to school, but after hearing Bai Cuifen's words, he was so excited that he almost dropped the scoop in his hand.

  "But mother, we don't have money..."

  Excited for a moment, Shao Jie suddenly thought of the worry his mother had expressed a few days ago about his sister Shao Min's tuition fees, saying that he would have to postpone his own schooling for a year, and he felt discouraged again, lowering his head.

  Bai Cuifen mysteriously took a step forward, pulled out a roll of money from her pocket and waved it in front of An Shaojie's eyes, saying with a smile: "Look what this is? Mother borrowed some money today."

  Bai Cuifen thought that Shao Jie would be overjoyed after hearing her words, but unexpectedly, he suddenly put down the spoon in his hand and rushed to Bai Cuifen's face, snatched the money from her hand, and stormed out of the door, throwing the money outside with a loud bang.

  Bai Cuifen followed behind him and shouted: "Shao Jie, what are you doing?"

  But she was ultimately one step too slow and failed to grab Shaojie's arm, and was thrown out of the house by him.

  Bai Cuifen sat silently and dejectedly on a stool at the entrance.

  She didn't blame An Shaojie, she understood in her heart that An Shaojie knew the money was sent by Qing Sheng just now, he was angry with Qing Sheng!

  Bai Cuifen thought, now he's young and doesn't understand things, when he grows up, he'll come to realize.

  After Xiao Jie fell asleep, Bai Cuifen took a flashlight and found the roll of money outside the door, then went to sleep.

  The next morning, Bai Cuifang called out to An Shaojie early in the morning.

  "Shao Jie, get up, I'll take you to register for school." Bai Cuifen patted An Shaojie's back, which was bowed and facing outward.

  "I won't go." An Shaojie propped his head up with his hand, facing the wall, motionless, and said in a huff.

  His voice sounds a bit hoarse, looks like he didn't sleep well last night and is still in a bad mood.

  "Really not going?" Bai Cuifen glanced at Lin Xi and Qing Lan standing behind her, and smiled slyly.

  The two of them each carried a colorful embroidered backpack, hiding behind Bai Cui Fen's outstretched hand, pursing their lips and giggling secretly.

  "Don't go." An Shaojie shifted his body, trying to shake off Bai Cuifen's hand on his arm.

  Lin Xi and Qing Lan burst out laughing at the same time.

  "Shao Jie, if you don't go to school, Lianlian and I won't want to play with an illiterate person in the future! If you don't study, you'll be stuck in these mountains forever. Lianlian and I will fly out of these mountains one day, and you won't see us anymore!" Lin Xi gestured with her hands as if they were flying out of the mountains.

  These words were told by her father Lin Laoshi last night.

  "My father said that only children who study hard can leave this big mountain and see the outside world. My father said that the outside world is very colorful." Lin Xi's eyes were shining with a dreamy and yearning look.

  Bai Cuifen gazed at Lin Xie with a smile.

  Lin Xie's father, Lin Wenhui, had gone to school very early. On his way, he passed by the west bridge and stopped by Bai Cuifen's house, asking her to take Lin Xie with her when she took Shaojie to register for school.

  "Zhilan isn't feeling well today, I've already told Lin Xi to come over to your place later and go with Shaojie to register for school. Would you mind taking her along?" Lin Wenhui said politely to Bai Cuifen.

  "Isn't your daughter Lin Xi still under 7 years old? Why send her to school too?" asked Bai Cuifen while responding to Lin Wenhui.

  "She's already seven years old, and the traditional school starting age is nine, so if we wait until next year, it'll be a bit late. Girls mature early, so it's better to send her to school earlier." said Lin Wenhui and Bai Cuifen.

  "Oh, that's right. Teacher Lin has read a lot and has a broad vision." Bai Cuifen suddenly felt that her own experience was too shallow, and she blushed as she tugged at the hem of her clothes, responding to Teacher Lin's words.

  "Nowhere, nowhere." Lin Wenhui glanced at his watch on his wrist. "Sister-in-law, it's getting late, I have classes this afternoon, so I'll be off. Thanks for the trouble, see you later." He said, waving his hand and leaving.

  Not long after Bai Cuifen returned home, Lin Xi arrived at the Bai's house wearing a pink outfit.

  Lin Xigang had just arrived at Bai Cuifen's home when Qing Lan bounced in with her school bag on her back.

  As soon as she stepped across the threshold, she loudly called out: "Mother."

  She ran into the house and saw Lin Xi was also there, then she smiled and ran to Lin Xi's side, laughing and calling out "Sister Lin" as she linked arms with her.

  Bai Cuifen turned around and saw Qing Lan standing in front of her with a smile on her small face.

  "Huh, Lanlan, why are you here so early?" Bai Cuifen was taken aback, and upon seeing the backpack behind Qinglan, she became even more curious. "Lanlan, are you going to school too?"

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