Picking Up a General to Plow the Fields

Chapter 247: Going to school

The Lin family Orchard was not far away but it was difficult for Aunt Zhang’s family to come help.
It would be bad for four workers to be pulled away.
Lian Fang Zhou discussed with Ah Jian and decided to take back one thousand saplings at first and have the rest brought over when they were done planting the first batch.

After a busy day, Third Aunt said to Lian Fang Zhou: “Sun Ming, the son of Sun Zhang Xing’s family, came this morning to thank you specially! Today, he had to go back to the academy in the city.
His words were very formal, I didn’t quite understand them but they were still a thank you!”

Lian Fang Zhou couldn’t help but be amused: “Oh,” she said with a laugh, “Brother Sun Ming is too polite! Uncle and Aunt Sun, I don’t know how many times they have already thanked me!”

Third Aunt gave Lian Fang Zhou a stern look and said: “That’s because people understand the truth! I think he looks pretty good.
He is slim and tall.
With that energy, he might pass the exams in the second month.”

Third Aunt was babbling and Lian Fang Zhou responded casually, not paying much attention to her.
She remembered that Lian Hai had come to say goodbye the night before and had thought to herself: Both of them are candidates for the exams this year, one in the second month, one in the fourth month.
If they passed, they would be considered talented people.
Who knew if they could do it.
There hadn’t been a talented person from Dafang village yet.
If these two succeeded at once, the village elders wouldn’t know how to handle it! This way, the life of Uncle Sun and his family in the village would be easier.

Tomorrow, Lian Che would also go to the school in the Lin family village to study.
For dinner, Lian Fang Zhou specially let Third Aunt cook several good dishes.

While they ate, the family sat around the table and the atmosphere was a little different.
Lian Che was trying hard to put on a serious face like a small adult.
Lian Fang Zhou’s expression was funny and reluctant but she encouraged him, carefully exhorting a lot of words while Lian Che agreed to them one by one.

However, Lian Fang Qing resented him.

The little girl’s mouth was flat and her expression was almost on the verge of tears.
She said pitifully: “Brother, brother, after you have gone to school, who will play with me!”

She lowered her head and glanced at the little wolf, which happened to be lying on Lian Che’s feet, waiting for a fleshy bone to eat, and said: “Look, Xiao Hui can’t bear it either!”

When she said this, Lian Che was a little sad and reluctant.
He looked at her and then at Xiao Hui, saying: “Qing’er, listen to your sister at home.
I, I will play with you when I get back!”

The two small children had been born at the same time, had grown up together and played together every day.
They had never been separated.
Now that they had to part, it would inevitably feel uncomfortable in their hearts.

Lian Fang Zhou and the others were amused by their reluctance, as if they would be separated for an unknown number of years before meeting each other again!

Lian Fang Zhou said, with a funny tone: “You two are really joking around! Qing’er, your third brother is going to school to learn.
This is a good thing, why so sad! When he comes back, we will still have dinner together and spend time together in the evenings.
It’s just going to write and read, not living at the school!”

“Really?” Lian Fang Qing’s eyes lit up and she smiled happily: “It turns out that third brother doesn’t live at the school like Cousin!”

So the little girl had been carrying this type of worry!

“Your third brother is still young, so naturally he would go home every day! Are you at ease now?” Lian Fang Zhou smiled.

Lian Fang Qing was embarrassed and smiled back.
The low atmosphere of reluctance from before disappeared.
The family finished eating, giving Lian Che all kinds of advice and instructions.

Lian Che solemnly agreed to each one.

After taking a break after the meal, Lian Ze asked Lian Che to go under the eaves of the front porch and whispered to him: “Ah Che, if someone in the school tries to bully you, you come back and tell your second brother! Second brother will help you out, I won’t let you be wronged! Also, don’t let our sisters know.”

Lian Che thought for a moment and then nodded, saying ‘en’.
Confused, he asked: “Brother, why do you say this? Could someone really bully me?”

Lian Ze curled his mouth and snorted silently.
He smiled: “Maybe not, after all you are still young.
I’m just worried someone will bully you!”

I hope not, Lian Ze said in his heart.
However, since the brothers and sisters had no parents and it was inevitable that there were not naughty people in the school, who knew?

Lian Che smiled and said: “I know that brother will help me.
There is also Teacher, so I think it should be fine.”

Lian Ze did not say anything more and entered the house with a smile.

When he finished practicing his marital arts in the backyard that night, Ah Jian told him solemnly: “Che’er is still young but he is not from their village and is a newcomer.
I’m afraid he will be bullied.
Tell him, don’t bear it if he feels wronged.
At least come back and tell us.”

Lian Ze felt very grateful and nodded, smiling.
“Thank you, Brother Ah Jian, for your concerns.
I have already told him this.
I also told him not to tell our sister.
My sister has a lot of things to worry about.
We brothers will solve this matter by ourselves.
That’s it!”

Ah Jian smiled approvingly.

After breakfast the next morning, Third Aunt filled Lian Che’s lunch box and chattered away: “Remember to eat lunch at the Teacher’s house! Set it well and don’t spill it, or you will be hungry! Come back early after school, don’t delay on the road! Listen carefully to Teacher, don’t be naughty and study hard…” Lian Che agreed one by one.

Lian Fang Zhou didn’t say anything more.
Everything that should be said had been said the night before.
There were many things that Lian Che would have to face and solve himself.
If they just repeatedly reminded him and led him to the solution, he would develop a bad habit of dependence.

Seeing that that the time was almost there, Lian Fang Zhou smiled and said: “Third Aunt, Che’er is not young anymore, he understands it! It’s not early, it’s time to set off!”

“Ok, go, go! Come back after school!” Third Aunt patted Lian Che’s shoulder with a smile.

Today, Lian Ze would send him over.
The journey of seven or eight miles was neither close nor far.
Tomorrow Lian Che would go alone.

The two brothers said goodbye to the family and walked out the door.

Seeing this, Third Aunt hurriedly said: “Why don’t we send the cart? Don’t we have a donkey cart? It would save them from walking!”

Lian Che hurriedly said: “I can go by myself, Third Aunt!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Lian Ze led him away.

Third Aunt still complained to Lian Fang Zhou: “Che’er is still so young, why didn’t you go so far? If there was no cart at home, that would be fine, but why would you not send him if you had a cart?”

Lian Fang Zhou said: “There are other uses for the cart.
I can’t send him off every day, right? Do I have to hire a coachman to pick him up? Che’er is going to school to study and learn, not to enjoy leisure time.
The children of people like us, even when he is in school, if he can’t get used to that, how will be work? In the future, if he can’t succeed in school, will he be able to come back to the land and work?”

Ah Jian also said: “Fang Zhou is right.
To spoil him is to harm him, it must not be done.” He couldn’t help but look at Lian Fang Zhou more.
He felt that this was not hard for Lian Fang Zhou to think of but hard for her to do! She had always been particularly fond of the youngest brother and sister.

Third Aunt had nothing to say so she sighed and gave up, but she still felt a little sorry for him for a while.

TN: Third Aunt is really like their grandma! They say parents are strict but grandparents spoil, haha.
Or another good saying is, ‘if you raise your kids, you can spoil your grandkids but if you spoil your kids, you will have to raise your grandkids!’.
Obviously the Lian siblings have been raised very well.